Australia, except most of Cape York Peninsula, Tasmania and arid interior of west: breeds southern from 20° southern (but chiefly south of Tropic of Capricorn) in south-western Western Australia and in south-east. Non-breeding across much of interior and northern parts of Australia.
Population
Estimated population is unknown (2010).
Habits
Mostly in twos or singly throughout the year. In small flocks of up to 25 during the non-breeding period in wintering range.
Food
Insects and seeds procured from the ground. Some seeds.
Voice
Males are noisy and are in continuous song in the breeding season. A single, almost whipcrack, 'whitcher' or a joyful full song, metallic, yet pleasant and musical, rollicking, 'whitcher-whitcher, a-whitchy-wheedle-whitch'.
Rufous Songlark (Cincloramphus mathewsi) [XC608494]
by Marc Anderson from Mount Wood Homestead area, Sturt NP, New South Wales, Australia (call, song)
Rufous Songlark (Cincloramphus mathewsi) [XC859766]
by id from Old Calder Highway, Hattah, Victoria, Australia (song)
Nest
Cup-shaped, composed of dried grasses, lined with finer grasses and horse-hair when available, in a depression in the ground, well concealed in grass.
Eggs (Guide)
3 or 4; pink-white, covered with dark red spots and freckles, in a zone at the larger end; long-oval; about 23 x 17 mm. Incubation: about 11 - 12 days; by female.
Young
Altricial, nidicolous. Fledge in about 12 days.
Subspecies
No subspecies.
Striking morphological differences from Brown Songlark (Cincloramphus cruralis) suggest that this species may be better placed in a separate genus, for which the name Maclennania is available.
The Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Pizzey, G., and Knight, E., 1997, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 19691 5
Field Guide to Australian Birds Morecombe, M., 2000, Steve Parish Publishing Pty Ltd. ISBN 1 876282 10 X
Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Simpson, K., and Day, N., 1999, 6th Edition, Viking ISBN 0 670 87918 5
Reader's Digest Complete Book of Australian Birds 1988, 2nd Edition, Reader's Digest ISBN 0 949819 99 9
What Bird is That? 1984, Revised Edition, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 14846 5
Handbook of Australian, New Zealand & Antarctic Birds 1990 - , Oxford University Press, Melbourne ISBN 0 19 553244 9
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BirdLife International Species Factsheet